PART III - (2/3)

Mexico City, CDMX, MEX (1968)

"I'm just waiting for Wheein." Hyejin doesn't think she owes her an explanation but she says it anyway.

"And why is that?"

"Why…? Do we have a problem here?” The stranger's inquisitive tone bothered her.

"I don't know, you tell me, why do you keep bothering Wheein?"

“What the ? Okay, who are you?” Hyejin pulls away from the wall and stands to face the other woman.

"I'm her friend and what about you?" She answers, raising her voice and straightening her body so she can look taller than she actually is.

"I’m..." Hyejin stops abruptly because she doesn't know what to answer. Is she a friend? Is she more than that? Or not even that? And how is this any of this woman business? "I believe it doesn't concern you."

"It does, actually, more than you think." Wheein's friend steps forward and Hyejin can see in her face that she’s angry. “Wheein worked very hard to be here. Unlike many people think, this sport requires more concentration than the aim itself. If I were you, I would leave her alone because if I find out that you have been distracting her I-.”

"I believe that the only person who has been diverting attention here is you since you’re not minding your own business." Hyejin interrupts her by taking a step forward so that the two of them are now only inches apart. “I don't know who you are, Wheein’s friend, but I can see that you are not a big fan of mine, and that's okay because the feeling is mutual now. But if you really are a friend of Wheein, as you say, you better start to get used to my face because I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.” Hyejin doesn't know where it all came from but she doesn’t like the way this person talks about Wheein as if she owns her. It arouses a kind of feeling that she’s not used to and doesn't like it at all. There’s an almost palpable tension in the air and neither of them speak for a few seconds until a distant voice coming from the arena’s court calls out. 

“Come on, Soojin, it's your turn again. What’s taking so long?”

"Coming!" Soojin responds immediately without taking her eyes off her. She looks sternly at Hyejin one last time before turning around and leaving to the same direction which she had come from. 

Hyejin silently watches her disappear back into the arena and leans back again against the wall. She wonders who this Soojin girl thinks she is to demand that she leaves Wheein like that. What kind of friend would have the right to command something like that from someone she doesn’t even know? A thought occurs to Hyejin but it bothers her so much that she refuses to accept it.

Wheein comes back a couple of minutes later wearing light denim shorts and a white semi-social shirt tied at the ends, instead of fully buttoned. She still has her hair up in a ponytail and the way it leaves her neck exposed makes Hyejin's mouth go dry. She even forgets how mad she was just a few minutes ago as she takes her time looking at the woman in front of her. 

"You look great." She says looking back into the other woman's eyes.

"Right? I said it’s better than the uniform.” She smiles smugly.

"I didn't say it’s better, but..." Hyejin teases. 

"It's too hot." Wheein argues against the uniform that she actually likes a lot, but not when it’s this hot and definitely not for an occasion like this.

"Yeah, it definitely is." Hyejin says as her gaze falls on Wheein's legs, clearly not referring to weather at all.

"Where are we going?" Wheein starts to walk towards the lobby so Hyejin doesn't see the way her cheeks heat up at the comment.

"Oh..." It's Hyejin's turn to blush. She hadn't thought about that part. All that has been on her mind is the fact that she’s actually going out with Wheein, she didn't give a second's thought to the details like where they’d go or how, but she tries to disguise it without much success. "It's a surprise."

"A surprise?" Wheein stops walking in the middle of the lobby with a doubtful look and Hyejin almost bumps into her.

"Don't you like surprises?" She tries to keep a straight face.

"I kind of do, but..." Wheein takes a challenging step closer, feeling confidence all of a sudden. "I bet you have no idea where to go."

Hyejin discovers that it’s way more difficult to think - or even breathe - with this confident Wheein so close, so she can’t lie. "I’m sorry." She breaks and clears to steady her voice, laughing at herself for how weak her voice sounded. “I literally arrived two days ago, I didn't get a chance to know the city yet. I honestly feel kind of stupid now, I haven't really thought about the logistics of our date. All I could think about was the company, actually.”

"So it’s a date?" Wheein tests.

"Or whatever it is." Hyejin corrects and Wheein bites her lips to suppress a smile when she sees Hyejin's cheeks flushing harder. Wheein turns around and walks towards the exit door, leaving a very confused Hyejin behind.

"I know a place." Wheein explains as she crosses the gate and gets to the sidewalk. When Hyejin catches up with her, she’s already signaling for a cab to stop.

"You’re a lifesaver."

"But you already knew that." Wheein winks at Hyejin as she opens the cab’s door for her.

It's a short trip to the restaurant. Wheein said the name of the place to the old man with thick white mustaches who was driving the vehicle and he easily recognized the place. The driver was friendly but also what you could call a talker: he started to talk to the girls in scratchy English until Hyejin explained that she could speak Spanish. Given the cue, he didn’t stop speaking for a minute, bragging about all the wonders of the city (his loved hometown, as he said himself) that he was so proud to be hosting the games this year. Wheein tried to keep up with the conversation in Spanish but she’s definitely not fluent like Hyejin. Eventually, she would look at her with despair, seeking for help, and Hyejin would easily translate her doubts. Once they got there - the same restaurant that Wheein had visited with Moonbyul and Yongsun the night before - they chose a table on one of the balconies, with a beautiful view to the rest of the city. Wheein ordered her usual - a large portion of tacos - but Hyejin asked for a variety of different things: nachos, burritos, chilli, garapiñados and other desserts Wheein had never heard of. 

"This is my first chance to taste actual Mexican food, I won’t waste it." She defends herself when she sees the look of disbelief on Wheein's face.

"Are you telling me you've been in Latin America for eight years and haven't tried the real Mexican food?" Wheein raises an eyebrow, remembering what Hyejin had said last night.

"One year in each country, I hadn’t been here before, not yet." She explains. 

"Where have you been so far?" Wheein asks interestedly, resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands, looking absolutely adorable in the process.

"So far? Well, Argentina, of course, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and, currently, Colombia. I'm making my way up.”

“Cool, I've been to some of them too, but it's been quite a time and never for so long, like you. I’d like to visit them again anytime.” Wheein wonders for a second.

"You’re welcome to join me in Colombia when you finish it up here. I’m there for… well, at least another 3 months." Hyejin winces as she counts the time. "Wow, how time flies."

"Depends on the point of view." Wheein mutters under her breath, remembering all the years that have passed since they last saw each other.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Anyways, why are you here? You said you were going to explain.” She cut straight to the point.

"Well, I told you that you would see me again soon." Hyejin says as if it’s obvious, referring to their parting in Colditz.

"When you said soon I thought it would be, I don't know, an hour, maybe two? Not in twenty four years." Wheein answers bitterly. She straightens up and plays nervously with her own hands over the table.

"Awn, so you’ve been counting?" Hyejin says, mimicking Wheein's previous position and flicking her eyelashes in interest.

"What? No, I just-.” Wheein stutters embarrassed but Hyejin interrupts her.

"I have." Hyejin resumes her serious tone and takes Wheein's nervous hands between hers. "I'm sorry it took so long."

A silence settles between them as Wheein watches Hyejin's hands on hers and Hyejin analyzes Wheein's face closely, looking for any sign that would help her know what she’s feeling.

"You are... a very, very difficult person to understand." Wheein looks up into Hyejin's eyes and tries to verbalize what she’s thinking.

"I know." Hyejin simply smiles while she keeps caressing Wheein’s hands. "But you’re also very hard to read."

"I’m really not." She answers, looking down.

"Yes, you are." Wheein pulls her hands back to herself and rests them on her own lap, out of Hyejin's reach. For some reason, hearing this made her mad.

"Are you serious?" She says staring at her. “You’re the one who keeps showing up in my life and vanishing out of nowhere. Twice. Two times is a pattern, Hyejin. Without any warning, you just come in and go out as you please and I’m the one who’s hard to read?” She lets it all out at once, finally managing to externalize what’s been torturing her for so long.

"I know." Hyejin answers simply as if she was waiting for this. 

"That’s all you have to say?" Wheein’s angry and disappointed. 

“No, of course no, but it’s not that simple.” She avoids Wheein’s eyes. 

"I didn’t say it’s simple, Hyejin, I know it’s not. But you said you would explain."

"And I will, I just…." Hyejin pauses for a moment to choose her words carefully but the waiter arrives just in time with their food. "Let's just eat first."

Wheein takes a deep breath, feeling uncomfortable with the situation as she watches the waiter put their food on the table and repeats Hyejin's ‘gracias’ when he finishes.

Hyejin wants to explain everything but she doesn’t know how to start. When they met for the second time she already had the feeling that Wheein didn’t know the whole story about themselves but now she’s sure. She’s met others like her, who didn’t know, but she never had to be the one to tell them. Hyejin doesn't want to be the person to tell her the truth but she can't just watch Wheein think that everything she did was out of malice. For lack of consideration or worse, for not caring about her.

They start to eat in silence, both avoiding each other's eyes since the atmosphere is more tense than it has ever been when they’re together. The pressure is so strong that Hyejin feels like she can't breathe, so she finally decides to address the elephant in the room. 

“I looked for you.” Baby steps. That's how she decides to tell the whole story. You don't have to tell everything at once. Wheein has a lot on her plate right now, it's not selfish to wait a little longer. You have to think about her. She says to herself. 

"What do you mean?" Wheein, who wasn’t expecting not only that statement, but nothing at all, puts her taco back on the plate and drinks some water before answering. "After Colditz?"

"Yeah. After the war, actually.” Hyejin is not looking at her, she stares at an untouched nacho as if it is the most interesting thing in the world. “I met Williams and asked about where you could be and he wasn’t very helpful. But...” She takes a photo out of her pocket and puts it on the table. "I found this." She hopes this would be proof enough for Wheein to believe that she’s tried.

"What..." Wheein holds the photo and examines it carefully. She sees herself with her two best friends printed there and remembers the exact night that it was taken. It was the night that she told her friends about Hyejin. "The Holborn? How did you...?"

"Williams took me there for our last conversation. I saw it on the board and couldn't resist, I thought it was too much of a coincidence not to get it."

“He’s the one who introduced that bar to us, too. His office was on the same street.”

"I don’t believe he meant for me to find this photo but still..." 

"I think he didn't even know it was there, I put it on the board myself."

“I asked him about you. All of you, actually. I said I wanted to personally thank you guys for Colditz but he didn't know where you were anymore, he said that you had already left the Alliance. But he did tell me that you were travelers. Nomades or wanderers? Something like that. I guess he didn’t approve." She grimaces remembering Williams’ comment. "Whatever, who cares about him?” Hyejin expects a reaction from Wheein but she doesn’t say a word. “Anyways… I may or may not have shown this photo in every place I’ve been ever since... just… just in case…” Hyejin finally looks up looking for Wheein's eyes, but she keeps her gaze fixed on the photograph in her hands.

"Oh." Wheein’s speechless again. 

“I never got any luck with the photograph but I was very surprised when I saw your name in that newspaper, like I said. It felt like… destiny, you know? I knew I had to come here.” Wheein looks into Hyejin's eyes for the first time in a while. “I'm sorry for leaving. The first time, I mean, I didn't lie to you before. I’ve never lied to you, actually. The story I told you in Leipzig, about the first time we met, is the truth. That’s what really happened, but when we split up in Colditz… well, I knew we wouldn't be seeing each other right after but I really hoped it would be sooner. We would be going to different paths but I had a plan. I would contact you after the Italy mission which, for the record, took much longer than I expected. But it was good, I mean, the war would end just months later, but I didn't know that at the time. So when it did end I looked for you, I just wasn’t counting on Williams' misinformation about your whereabouts. I thought I would have a chance to explain everything sooner, it wasn't supposed to be like that.” She gives Wheein some time to absorb all the information before continuing. The expression on her face is impossible to read. “When I say that you’re a difficult person to read, Wheein, it’s because I can’t explain what it is about you that pulls me towards you like that. Since the first time I saw you I haven't gone a single day without thinking about you least once. Where could you be, what would you be doing, if we would see each other again...” Hyejin is finding it difficult to breathe under Wheein's gaze, so she breaks eye contact in order to finish her reasoning. “So that's why I'm here. Hopefully to find out.”

Wheein feels like a weight has been taken off of her shoulders. She’s grateful that Hyejin was able to put into words what she feels herself, especially after spending so much time thinking that these feelings weren't reciprocal. But at the same time she feels relieved, she also doesn't know what to say. Where do they go from here? Honestly, all she wants to do is to kiss Hyejin senseless but she knows that she can’t just do it right now. The whole ‘don’t do immortals’ thing is still hanging over Wheein's head and she knows that there is more history behind it. What if she lets herself get carried away just for Hyejin to leave her again? She doesn't know the baggage Hyejin holds but she certainly has to find out before it moves any further. 

Hyejin, on the other hand, feels like all the air has been blown out of her lungs. Wheein has every right to claim that she’s lying and move on with her life but Hyejin sincerely hopes that she doesn't. If she doesn't react well to that, how can Hyejin tell her the rest of the story? She won't be able to do that and it’ll turture her not to. She’s seen how Wheein acts around her, so she knows that the other woman has certain feelings for her but she can’t tell which ones. Hyejin doesn’t know how to distinguish her own feelings, how could she tell someone else’s? She just hopes that Wheein will at least tell her what they are instead of having Hyejin guessing, but the silence from the woman who can’t take her eyes off her is not helping.

"Please say something." It comes out as a whisper and Wheein is finally brought back to reality.

"I really don't know what to say." Wheein answers sincerely and Hyejin's heart sinks. But Wheein completes quickly, feeling that she’s been silent for too long. “But I also feel something like that and I really want to find out why. Or what it is, for that matter. Let's just take things slow and talk this through, can we do this?" Hyejin finally breathes again.

“Yeah, of course. I know it's a lot to process, it's the same me, I promise.” Wheein takes the initiative this time and holds Hyejin's hands between hers. Both are well aware that they have more feelings than the ability to understand it at the moment.

"Can I help you with anything else?" The waiter approaches the table, breaking their bubble. For a few minutes they had forgotten that there is a world around them.

"Er... Champagne?" Hyejin tries, asking Wheein with a look.

"I can't, I'll compete tomorrow."

"Ah, right, so no, thanks." Hyejin dismisses the waiter and finally turns her attention to her food. "Okay, now I can enjoy this." She says taking a nacho to . "Want some?"

The rest of the dinner goes on pleasantly until the end. They reach an unspoken agreement that the other serious things will be discussed on another occasion and the rest of the time is filled with light conversations. For most of the time, Hyejin tells Wheein about her wandering in Latin America, - Wheein finally finds out what it is about Argentina that has got Hyejin so captivated - occasionally interrupted by a moan of appreciation for the food she’s having. Wheein doesn't want to leave but as she sees the hours flying by she surrenders and tells Hyejin that she’s to go, since she has a match on the next day.

"I will be at the bleachers." Hyejin says as they reach the sidewalk. "You’ll be great."

"Don't press me." Wheein signals for a cab and pouts when it stops in front of her. She wished it hadn’t stopped so they could have more time together.

"I’m not pressuring you, I’m saying what I already know.”

"So now you see the future, too?" Hyejin’s smiling as she opens the door for Wheein.

"I’m a woman of many talents." Wheein wishes she could kiss that smug smile out of Hyejin's face but she just shakes her head as she gets in the cab and Hyejin closes the door. "So... tomorrow, after your match… could we do it again?” She asks sheepishly as she leans down on the open window.

“Oh, I’d really like to, but tomorrow I have to see the girls. Moonbyul and Yongsun, I mean. I kind of should have met them today. Hopefully, if they don't kill me when I tell them why I stood them up, we can do something the day after tomorrow, just like today, after my training.”

“Gosh, I didn't know. I'm sorry, we could have rescheduled.”

“It’s fine, really.”

“Let them know that I didn’t know you guys had plans, okay? I don't want to be on their bad side so soon.” Hyejin says quickly, getting a good laugh out of Wheein.

"Don't worry, I’ll gladly take all the blame." 

"So, the day after tomorrow, same time and place?" Hyejin stands up straight looking down at Wheein.

"Yeah." She nods but remembers something that makes her change her mind. “We can meet at my dorm, at 7:30, it's better. It’s the apartament 101, Block B, oh, you already know that.” Wheein laughs again e Hyejin blushes.

"Okay, so it's a date." Hyejin lightly taps twice at the hood of the cab to let the driver know they’re done and the cabby starts to drive away. 

"It's a date." Wheein repeats to herself and the last thing she sees before turning around is Hyejin waving at her from a distance.

When Wheein finally gets to the comfort of her room she feels a lot lighter than when she left earlier that evening. She knows that she’s smiling like an idiot but right now it’s not something she can contain. Just like the night before, it’s the tiredness of the busy day that makes her rest but this time, at least, it wasn't the bad thoughts that occupied her mind until she fell asleep. She had the best night of sleep since she arrived in Mexico - which she didn't think would be possible considering the stress of competition and the fact that she has a match on the next day - but she’s woken up by several loud knocks on her door very early in the morning.

Wheein gets up stumbling, puts her robe on and opens the door ready to curse whoever it is, but the ravenous daylight that came blinding at her face cut her line of thought, even more than the noises of the two figures who entered her room screaming and pushing her out of their way.

"Where were you?"

"We waited for like two hours."

"Then we went to the arena because we thought you were training but you were NOT there."

"Why would you do that?"

"Where the hell did you go?"

A very angry Moonbyul and a rather mad Yongsun are now pacing through the room, yelling too many questions for Wheein's sleepy brain to assimilate.

"Good morning to you too." She says, stretching and lying back on the bed. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to cut the crap and tell us what's going on." Moonbyul lies down on the other side of the double bed and Wheein covers her own face with one of the pillows.

"It's early, we have time." Yongsun warns, sitting on the nearest chair.

"C’mon." Moonbyul starts to poke Wheein's arm incessantly. “Soojin told us she saw you going out with a pretty woman, tell us who she is."

"She said what???" Wheein sits up abruptly.

"Okay, she didn't say pretty but she looked upset so I suppose she must be." Moonbyul clarifies.

“No, not that. Did Soojin really see us leaving? Me and her? Together?” Moonbyul nods. After denying the whole date thing to Soojin, she still saw her with Hyejin again and probably noticed the whole tension between them. She lies back sighing in frustration. "Ugh, I'm going to get so much crap for that."

"Uh, drama." Yongsun pushes Wheein to the middle of the bed and lies down with the other two. "I thought you guys were done."

"We are done.” She emphasizes the ‘are’. “But sometimes she thinks she has the right to an opinion on everything I do.” Wheein complains without thinking and regrets right away. Deep down she knows that Soojin only wants what’s best for her.

"Because you guys are still ing, right? I said it was a bad idea.” Moonbyul teases and Wheein is about to fight back when Yongsun interrupts.

“Let’s put this topic on hold. Quit the whole stalling thing and tell us what’s going on already! It has to be good for you to stand us up like that, okay? We were very concerned.”

"Yeah.” Moonbyul confirms. “We just didn't go out on the streets screaming your name because we found Soojin first. It wasn't cool, Wheein.”

"I'm so sorry. I left a note at the door in case you guys came looking for me here, but apparently you didn't have to.” She had actually left a note taped outside the door, saying that she had some things to do but without further information. When she came back last night the note was still at the same place, tho.

"Who is the mysterious woman, Robin Hood, c’mon?"

"It's not that mysterious..." Under the anxious gaze of her best friends Wheein finally gives up. "It's Hyejin."

"WHAT?"

"HYEJIN?"

“WHY?”

"YOU’RE JOKING?"

"BUT HOW?"

"Shut up and let me explain!!!" She raises her voice so she can stand out over the girls' questions. Wheein tries to explain everything while she gets ready for competition, doing her best not to leave any details out and promising to answer all the remaining questions after the match, since they agreed to explore the city together again - and this time Wheein would actually show up.

When Wheein reaches the arena again the atmosphere feels different. This time she knows Hyejin will be watching, she promised that she would. Unlike the previous day where there were no competitions happening, today the stands are packed and the noises are pretty loud. Wheein avoids to look at a specific part of the bleachers that she suspects Hyejin would be in - the same place she had been the last two times. A familiar voice coming from loudspeakers echoes over the place announcing her name and Wheein heads for her designated lane where she’ll face an athlete from Croatia in the round of 16. She’s nervous but much more confident than the last time. The knockout stages really are her natural habitat and she demonstrates it by beating the Croatian athlete by 19  points without breaking a sweat and passing through the next phase with glory.

When she leaves the lane towards the locker room she finally catches sight of Hyejin, smiling and waving with a South Korean flag tied around her neck, at her usual place in the bleachers. Wheein smiles back as she walks to the locker room but the smile slightly falls off her face when she recognizes the woman by Hyejin’s side. She knows her as Irene, or Bae Joohyun, actually: Hyejin's friend whom they’d helped rescue in Germany. She doesn't like her very much, if she's being honest, but she waves one last time before disappearing into the tunnel.

After